“Story Doll tells the story… turns into all the beloved characters with a flick of the wrist!”
A couple of weeks ago I found a wonderful old cloth doll fairytale storybook, produced by Dan-Dee in 1979. Each side has four faces, three of which flip over like pages, creating a new doll each time and revealing the next part of the tale. On one side of the doll is the story of Cinderella and the other Goldilocks. The print style brought back some early childhood memories of Clothkits.
Dan-Dee began producing these dolls in 1977. There were three double-sided dolls at first, which were also sold as six single-sided dolls, with two more single stories added shortly after.
- Pinocchio + Snow White
- Cinderella + Goldilocks
- Jack & The Beanstalk + Sleeping Beauty
- Little Red Riding Hood
- The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Single story dolls were sold in plastic packaging with either cardboard tops or full cardboard backs. The double story dolls came in a box designed to look like a large book, and also simple packaging.
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- Double Story Dolls
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- Tell A Story Dolls
“The Tell A Story Doll is a unique, colorful and educational doll. Will captivate any youngster while motivating the child’s interest for reading and learning. How it works: The doll has four faces and four flaps, each in a different color and each telling a part of the story. By the time you have turned the last flap, you will have completed a well known story in a most delightful way.”
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- Double Story Dolls Packaging
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- Double Story Dolls Packaging (inside front cover)
Original ad and packaging images above and below thanks to eBay sellers Antique Papershop, jenn032 and Ebaayman, and Etsy sellers SandHollowVintage, FourtyFiftySixty and FlanaganCollectibles.
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- Two Story Dolls Packaging
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- Tell A Story Doll Packaging
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- Tell A Story Doll Packaging
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- Tell A Story Doll Packaging
Cinderella
ONCE UPON A TIME there was a pretty,
kind girl named CINDERELLA.
She cleaned, cooked and sewed.
Her clothes were old and patched.
She had no time for fun and parties.
She lived with her selfish and mean STEPMOTHER.
Every young girl in the kingdom was invited to the Prince’s ball,
but Cinderella had no pretty clothes to wear.
Suddenly her FAIRY GODMOTHER appeared with her magic wand.
A pumpkin became a golden coach.
Her rags became a beautiful gown.
Glass slippers were on her feet.
But at midnight the magic would disappear.
The HANDSOME PRINCE fell in love with CINDERELLA,
but she left suddenly at midnight, losing her slipper.
The Prince searched the kingdom.
When he found her again,
he placed the glass slipper upon her foot,
and they lived happily ever after.
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- “Cinderella” ~ Two Story Dolls by Dan-Dee (1979)
Goldilocks
ONCE UPON A TIME there were THREE BEARS.
When they came home from a walk in the woods,
great big PAPA BEAR said,
“Someone has been tasting my hot porridge!”
MAMA BEAR said,
“Someone has been tasting my porridge too!
Someone sat in my chair!
And someone has rumpled my bed!”
BABY BEAR said,
“Someone ATE my porridge!
Someone BROKE my chair!
Someone is now SLEEPING in my little bed!”
The SOMEONE was GOLDILOCKS!
She had wandered into the cottage.
She had eaten the porridge.
She had broken the chair.
She was asleep in the little bed.
She awoke and ran all the way home.
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- “Goldilocks” ~ Two Story Dolls by Dan-Dee (1979)
